TheDelusionist Reviews

The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears (2013)

Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani's The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears (2013)

[7/10 · 14 August 2013]

Dan Kristensen (Klaus Tange) returns home one day and discovers that his wife Edwige has disappeared. Dan starts investigating Edwige's disappearance and the strange and mysterious places and people of his apartment complex. Did she leave him? Is she dead? Also, what the hell is going on with his creepy neighbors? Of course the police can't help him, they just don't believe him. Soon his search and obsession cause him to descent into a world of madness. Fact and fiction become harder to distinguish. Dreams and nightmares intertwine with reality until they become one and the same. Will he ever find his wife's killer? Is there a killer? Who's the killer?

Written & directed by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears is a natural progression from their 'ABCs of Death' segment O is for Orgasm. The similarities aren't only on a surface level (cinematography, editing), but also on a thematic level, L'ètrange couleur des larmes de ton corps (original title) represents both an evolution and maturation for the two auteurs. Not only is this a very entertaining and visceral film, but it's also a complicated, surreal story. The narration is anything but linear or straightforward. Forzani explained that they are both inspired by the Italian Giallo, but also by Satoshi Kon. Cattet also cited Brian De Palma as an influence.

The characters in The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears have a way of relating to the space around them reminiscent of Michelangelo Antonioni's work (namely L'Eclisse). The '70s score, borrowed directly from Italian films creates a playful, but at the same time scary mood, while the loud sound mixing and the entrancing imagery enable the viewer to be transported into the film's world. Even if the story is anything but clear on a first viewing, the film is always interesting to watch and experience on a purely sensorial level (much like a David Lynch film). Like Amer, this film more than just a love letter to Italian cinema, it's a work of art that stands on its own. There are throwback qualities to it, but the film works for a modern audience as well.

What I appreciated and take away most from complex films like this one are the cinematography (à la Tutti i colori del buio), the tone and atmosphere and the fantastic soundtrack. While it loses some of its pace in the second act, it returns with a fury in the last act, with flashbacks, black & white sequences (with an altered frames per second rate) and all sorts of violent crazy stuff happening. It is a very re-watchable film, especially because it's difficult to fully understand on a first viewing (or ever?). I was a little bit let down by the poor character development in the film, though I realize that wasn't the film's intent or goal, still I like to have relatable characters beyond their physical appearance, accent and attire.

Personally, I'd say this is a step up from Amer and so I can only be excited for anything the two will do in the future. I recommend this film if you enjoyed previous work from Cattet & Forzani, you like the films or directors I've mentioned or just want to try something new. This is definitely a film best enjoyed in theaters (even if people walking out are annoyingly distracting), if you watch it at home make sure you have a good sound system: That's how the directors intended you to view their picture.

Pretty Persuasion (2005)

Review: Pretty Persuasion (2005)

[8/10 · 6 July 2013]

Kimberly Joyce (Evan Rachel Wood) is a privileged fifteen-year-old Beverly Hills high school girl obsessed with the desire of becoming an actress and very misanthropic tendencies. After being dumped by her boyfriend, her supposed best friend Brittany (Elizabeth Harnois) has no problems dating him. Masking her unhealthy jealousy Kimberly puts a brave face on things, almost deluding herself that she in fact does not care. One morning Kimberly notices Randa (Adi Schnall) a new student coming to Roxbury all the way from some Arab country. Kimberly easily manipulates Randa into liking her, taking her under her wing, but of course it is all part of an obscure evil plan involving racism, accusations of sexual harassment and sleeping with a horny lesbian journalist. Will Kimberly's genius plot work out for her in the end? Or will she just feel more empty and alone? It's fair to speculate.

Pretty Persuasion is a darkly hilarious, twisted little satire on American society and our Western ideals. It discusses a broad spectrum of topics raging from women's role in society, to our Judeo-Christian family values and the influence of mass media on people. While some of those 'issues' are only touched upon, Skander Halim's sharp writing always manages to be spot on and funny. Ramsey Nickell's colorful, yet cold and almost sterile cinematography helps reflecting Kimberly's thought process, while perfectly contextualizing the clean and clinical ambiente, home of the rich and famous. Marcos Siega's direction might be a bit unfocused at times, presenting some of the subplots in a less than satisfying way, yet there is a distinct charm and great command of the craft that genuinely comes through in this picture. It also makes me hope that he'll take a break from television to bring us another shiny gem like Pretty Persuasion. He has a great way with actors, managing to get a great performance out of everyone involved, especially Evan Rachel Wood (who also looks stunning) and James Wood, playing her wacky, almost insane father in the film.

Pretty Persuasion is definitely my kind of film. I can certainly identify with Kimberly Joyce, and I'm sure we've all felt like her at some point, though most of us haven't acted on it. The film manages to make you feel for a character that is ostensibly a 'horrible person'. The worldview of the filmmaker mostly reflect my own, lamenting some of the same frustrations, namely the shallow surface of politically correct and morally rotten, corrupt mass media. While the movie could be viewed as an overly cynical sociological commentary, to me it sticks out as a fantastic counter programming to television's totalitarian and superficial moral agenda. On a lighter note, I get great pleasure out of films like Mean Girls (2004), Heathers (1988) and even The Virgin Suicides (1999) presenting us with the mysteriously intriguing world of female adolescence. There is just something alluring to the idea of being a teenage girl that I can endlessly come back to: The ephemeral aspect of youth, the mystical transitional phase of being something between a little girl and woman. I think Pretty Persuasion fully explores this concept, transporting the viewer into a magical, forbidden and even crazy world not many have access to.

The Perfect Human (1968)

Jørgen Leth's Det perfekte menneske (1967)

[9/10 · 12 June 2013]

Shot in beautiful, bright, black & white, Jørgen Leth's The Perfect Man, although literally "the perfect human begin" (which makes more sense since there's also a woman in it) is one of the most perplexing and unique short films ever made. While short films are usually played for laughs or a punch line, Det perfekte menneske is more interested in aesthetics than making a point. The film doesn't have a narrative in a strict sense, but simply presents us with mundane activities and facts revolving around the perfect human being. Adding a layer of mystery and surreal, the perfect human himself directly addresses his audience telling us about a weird incident that happened to him. Although we don't get what he really means, at the end of the film he explains that we will understand "in a few days".

While I'm not sure we can ever understand what it means; the film has an incredible staying power, especially if you like a good riddle à la David Lynch. Det perfekte menneske (I love how that sounds in Danish) is a good example of social commentary, without being pretentious or preachy. It presents us with "facts" and leaves the viewer the interpretation of a larger meaning, even though its author certainly had its own vision and ideas when he made the film. The tranquil and soothing clarinet music, helps creating a distinct atmosphere and puts you almost in the mindset of a "brainwashing" video. In fact the whole film is very clinical in its analysis of the perfect man. The director becomes like a doctor treating a patient, his character. The empty, white rooms, the minimalist set design and the bright lighting help creating the atmosphere of a hospital or even insane asylum, where the routines of everyday life are exposed for their meaninglessness.

I first saw this short film in the context of Lars von Trier's Five Obstructions (2003) in which he challenges Jørgen Leth to remake his own film. Ever since watching that excellent documentary, I was occasionally reminded of this short film and felt the need to re-visit it. What I appreciate most about it is its simplicity. It is a stunning work of art and yet it's about nothing in particular. It manages to be entertaining without a plot. It is about everything – the whole human experience – while appearing to be about nothing, on the surface. It can be viewed in different cultural contexts and time frames, re-interpreted, discussed and quoted. I like to quote it, although I haven't met anyone that got the reference yet, but I have a great affinity for Danish humor. Growing up in a German-speaking area, I can see many similarities in the language and culture – I am always fascinated with the typically Scandinavian quirks.

Lick the Star (1998)

Sofia Coppola's Lick the Star (1998)

[8/10 · 12 June 2013]

Chloe (Audrey Kelly) is the school's 'queen bee' obsessed with Virginia Andrews' Flowers in the Attic. Bored with school and somewhat annoyed with the immature boys her age, she and the girls in her clique start scheming something strange. Lick the star is the name of their 'extra- scholastic' project involving the boy's lunches, rat poison and raw eggs. However before Chloe is able to carry out her evil plan some false rumors about her are spread around school. All of a sudden she's not the 'superstar' anymore, but the one being bullied. Sick of being made fun of, she decides to go the melodramatic route trying to end her life.

Shot in 16 millimeter crispy clean, beautiful bright black and white by Lance Acord, that went on to collaborate with Sofia Coppola more notably on Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette; Lick the Star is Coppola's first 'solo' director credit. Many of Sofia's directorial and writing trademarks and themes are already present in what's only her second short film. Just like with every feature film, Sofia has consistently experimented with different visual styles to fit her stories. Working and casting friends and family, her brother Roman behind the camera, her cousin Robert Schwartzman in an acting role and Zoe Cassavetes in both, this working approach reinforces the notion that all of Sofia's films are passion projects.

It's her thoughtfulness and attention to detail that makes them so enjoyable and endlessly re- watchable. It's all in the little, exquisite touches: Like shooting 'on location' (R.L.S. Junior High), a killer shoegaze soundtrack (especially the last track) and a cameo by director Peter Bogdanovich himself (as the principal). Lick the Star is all about 'teen angst' and what it means to be a teenager. Sofia really understands the subject matter and is more than capable to transmit emotion and recreating a specific time and place. Coppola's unique vision comes from her courage to paint a genuinely innocent, naïve and very 'girly' picture, that she went on exploring in her next film The Virgin Suicides. Her offbeat humor, poetic flair and fascination with the idea of celebrity, also already come to the forefront in this authentic, cute and super-sweet short film.

V/H/S/2 (2013)

Review: V/H/S/2 (2013)

[7/10 · 9 June 2013]

Like most anthologies I've seen, except for maybe Three… Extremes (2004) that is consistently good, these types of works tend to be pretty uneven. V/H/S/2 is no exception. Much like the first V/H/S (2012) the sequel features a rather basic "frame narrative", which involves people finding the infamous VHS tapes and playing them for us, the audience. Unlike the first film, the narrative here only gets interesting towards the conclusion, but ultimately ends up feeling rushed and a bit forced. The found footage angle is pretty much used in the same way, while inventing some new justifications for why there is a camera taping everything at all times.

The first short titled Clinical Trials is about a young man that gets an artificial eye implanted after having an accident. The new eye seems to be seeing more than he bargained for. Scary and intense, this first short directed by Adam Wingard is a good way to kick off the anthology.

Next up is A Ride in the Park directed by the guys that brought you The Blair Witch Project (1999). This short is about a guy getting attacked by zombies while riding his bike in the park. There's nothing special about this short. It feels uninspired and by the numbers. It's nothing you haven't seen before and the ending is as unimaginative and standard as you'd expect. For a brief moment there's a glimmer of hope the filmmakers might take a certain interesting direction, exploring if there's any humanity left in zombie, but sadly that never happens.

Moving on to my favorite short of the anthology, and what makes V/H/S/2 worth watching, is Safe Haven the segment directed by Timo Tjahjanto. The Indonesian director is surely one of the most interesting new voices working in horror today. Timo's tribute here is a story about a group of filmmakers trying to expose a crazy Indonesian cult leader. After agreeing to be interviewed in his lair the crew is lured inside what has to be the nuttiest place on earth. What happens is so insane and jarring you won't believe it's actually happening. If you don't try to make sense of it and just accept it, you'll have a good time. I highly recommend Timo's breakout debut feature Darah (2009) and his genius L is for Libido segment in The ABCs of Death (2012).

The last short, before concluding the mostly uninteresting frame narrative, is Slumber Party Alien Abduction directed by Jason Eisner from Hobo with a Shotgun (2011) fame. Basically the title perfectly resumes the story: Teenage kids get abducted by aliens. What the title doesn't tell you is how annoying these teenage kids are and how you want them to die, and not survive. The aliens, traditional Roswell Greys, fail to be scary. So does the loud and distracting sound design. Overall probably the worst segment of the lot, but maybe that's just because it comes right after the best.

All in all V/H/S/2 is better than V/H/S in that it tries to go for scares instead of "fun". The third short clearly stands out as the best, but for a die-hard found footage fanatic like myself there's some enjoyment and entertainment value in every short. It's also better than the first V/H/S, because there's less, but longer segments which allows for the story to be more fully developed. Presenting four different sub-genres is a smart move: The film is never repetitive and there's a little something to be appreciated for everyone.

Stoker (2013)

Park Chan-wook's Stoker (2013)

[7/10 · 8 June 2013]

India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) is a moody teenager from a privileged family living in the lush countryside of the United States. Her pleasant and uneventful life is suddenly turned upside down when her father Richard (Dermot Mulroney) is killed in a car accident. India is left with her apathetic mother Evelyn (Nicole Kidman) and no one to console her, until her long-lost, creepy uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) shows up. While the not-really-grieving widow seems to appreciate her odd, but attractive brother-in-law's presence, he seems to be hiding terrible family secrets under his strange smirk.

A South Korean director like Park Chan-wook (Oldboy and Thirst) working in Hollywood – in a different culture with an English-speaking cast and writer (and producers) – doesn't seem like an ideal fit at first. This is somewhat confirmed here. It's always difficult to translate Asian sensibilities and cultural traits into an American film. Actor turned writer Wentworth Miller pens a story that resembles Korean fare, but he may still be a diamond in the rough as far as his screen writing abilities go, especially in the character development department. The lack of compelling writing is partly overcome by a great cast, Wing Lee's inspired art direction and Chung Chung-hoon's splendid cinematography. The use of Stride la vampa from Giuseppe Verdi's opera Il Trovatore (1853), is another delight of Stoker.

The way Park is able to capture and compliment Mia Wasikowska's astonishingly beautiful face, by frame only certain details, like her mouth, needs to be commended. Pulling off the whole weirdo-creep teenager thing, without making the character completely unlikable, is never easy: Stoker mostly succeeds thanks to Mia's committed performance. It remains a mystery how much of the awkward atmosphere is intentional. The film tries to sustain the weird tone for too long, stretching out the story unnecessarily before making its point. Again, what Park was going for might work in a South Korean film, but like Nicole Kidman's character it feels out of place here. The "big reveal", the climax of the film is rather unsatisfying and cliché. The film also seems to be heavily influenced by The Uninvited (2009), the American remake of A Tale of two Sisters (2003), both aesthetically and narratively. Surely the producing Scott brothers might have something to do with it, in their effort to make the film marketable.

Overall I recommend Stoker if you like brightly lit psychological thrillers and horror films; of course Park Chan-wook fans should check this one out; also if you like Carrie (1976), Ginger Snaps (2000) and May (2002) a film like Stoker might just be up your alley.

Maniac (2012)

Review: Maniac (2012)

[6/10 · 7 June 2013]

Frank Zito (Elijah Wood) is a prolific serial killer, taking out the city's finest looking women, one at the time. Desperately trying to connect and have a "normal" relationship, he is unable to undress a woman without scalping her afterwards. Plagued by childhood trauma induced schizophrenia and stuck in the Oedipal phase Frank descends deeper and deeper into his own madness. One sunny day he meets Anna (Nora Arnezeder) a fresh-faced, blonde photographer weirdly, but genuinely interested in his mannequins. As expected Frank's hopes for a romantic happy ending are compromised by his insanity, his unhealthy jealousy, and the fact that he is a raging maniac.

Shot from the point of view of the killer, the Maniac remake of William Lustig's 1980 film, is a refreshing take on the original especially aesthetically. Both cinematography and score end up giving the movie a pulpy Drive (2011) feel, while at the same time echoing the giallo-esque tones of the original. Referencing German impressionist classic Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (1920) and paying homage to the original Maniac poster, this film was clearly trying to please everyone. Written by remake veteran Alexandre Aja and directed by Franck Khalfoun this is a much glossier and stylish rendition, instead of the down-and-dirty, gritty approach of the original. Both movies capture the night. This one just uses more neon lights to do so.

Overall I thought the movie works okay, but not being a crazy lunatic myself it was hard to buy into the whole POV-shot gimmick. Elijah Wood and Nora Arnezeder both do a fine job in their respective roles, but ultimately I can't find myself relating or identifying with any of the characters in this film. Arriving at the climax of the story I didn't find myself empathizing and feeling for the characters as much as I would have wanted to. I also expected the film to have something more – or different – to say in terms of narrative, but it explores the same themes and ideas. Being someone who values visuals and style however there is a lot to enjoy in that department and the nods to other films are always a delight to spot. When all is said and done though I prefer Joe Spinell's portrayal of the villain, because of his natural sleaziness and effortlessly creepy face.

Chicken with Plums (2011)

Review: Chicken with Plums (2011)

[7/10 · 5 June 2013]

Nasser Ali Khan (Mathieu Amalric) is a famous Iranian violinist; whose life takes a dark turn after his violin is destroyed. Unable to find a suitable substitute for his invaluable instrument Nasser Ali decides there's only one thing left to do: Die. After considering different methods to end his own life, he decides that waiting for death to come to him is the one that makes most sense. In the eight days preceding his earthly departure Nasser Ali reflects upon his life, his art and the love of his life. In what seems like a series of fever dreams the filmmakers progressively let the viewer in on Nasser Ali's mind and life story.

Whimsical, sweet and romantic Poulet aux prunes is a thoughtfully composed film, with a lot of heart and a typically French sense of humor. As these kinds of films go it is more interested in the little character quirks and moments they share with each other, rather than big action or plot. The charming screenplay and great command in the directing department make this film a mature effort, that reveres and references foreign fare: Namely Italian cinema and the beautiful Sofia Loren. The film is sustained by strong performances by all of its lead actors. For a film about a musician the score of Chicken with Plums is great towards the end and climax of the story, but in one instance it felt they were imitating Steve Jablonsky's My Name is Lincoln. Story-wise I think the ending is a bit abrupt and somewhat unresolved. The pieces of the story all come together nicely, but you can't help feeling that something's missing.

Personally, I'm someone that values visually compelling films Chicken with Plums and would say Christophe Beaucarne's (DP on Mr. Nobody and Michel Gondry's upcoming Mood Indigo) cinematography definitely stands out; same goes for the art direction. It's especially fascinating how the filmmakers integrate animation and different filming techniques to craft over-stylized, almost exaggerated scenery. The almost "artificial" mise en scène is appropriate for the big emotions and 'larger than life' characters portrayed. Speaking of visions, I have to mention the heartbreakingly beautiful Golshifteh Farahani. I wish the story would revolve more around her character and the love story, because to me it is the most interesting part of the film.

Moviegoers that don't mind subtitles and enjoy romantic films like Amélie (2001), Big Fish (2003) and The Fall (2006) will certainly appreciate this one.

Kaboom (2010)

Gregg Araki's Kaboom (2010)

[8/10 · 1 June 2013]

Smith (Thomas Dekker) is an 18-year old university student majoring in film studies that is having both weird and wet dreams, right before his 19th birthday. After a series of hook-ups and seemingly random sexual encounters, things are really starting to get crazy: Men in animal masks appear, a creepy girl with superpowers and a voodoo doll and of course all kinds of sexy sex. After a couple of days of confusion and meaningless sex, Smith however starts to realize what's going on, but is he in time to save the world from its impending doom and an evil cult leader determined blow it up?

Kaboom is a charming film, beautifully shot in bright, saturated colors, that supply almost feel too fake to be true. Yet, strangely the film provides a wholly immersive experience, probably fueled by Araki's intuitive and appropriate use of shoegaze. Much like Sofia Coppola, another fan of the genre, Gregg Araki allows you to really feel the film. The dialogue doesn't always come through like you'd want and feels scripted and clichéd in some instances, but it's always funny and quotable. Gregg seems to be winking at the audience, acknowledging and fully embracing the silliness of the story. That's partly why I can forgive some of movie's obvious flaws.

Thomas Dekker, the leading man of this picture, does a fine job most of the time and I couldn't imagine this film without it; however he seems to be trying too hard in some scenes, bordering the line of over-acting, you can see his acting. While it's a bit distracting, the supporting cast, with Araki regular James Duval as the ridiculously named Messiah, does a fantastic job of making you forgive him. Another minor distraction is the use of purposely bad transitions; I'm more of a fan of the traditional fade to black, but it adds to the quirky spirit of the film, which I'm all for. It is in fact more than anything it's the films' goodhearted nature and sweetness I take away and remember most fondly.

Reliving all these emotions for the third time, this is one of my favorite films, I noticed a lot of new things. Some of the scenes are really "useless", in that they don't help forwarding the plot, but are mostly there to be funny and help creating a mood. That's partly where the appeal of the film lies for me: It's not so much plot driven as it is a portrayal of the college experience and what it means to be a young adult, a transitional stage between "high-school and the rest of your life" as one of the character puts it. In that regard the movie succeeds completely, because it really captures what it's like to 'feel lost'.

Gregg Araki's very personal piece, once again he's a master of his sub-genre, while making a statement on the future of film, and blending different genres for a highly satisfying experience. Kaboom won the first ever Queer Palm at the Cannes Film Festival and is indeed recommended for fans of his other work, if you like unique and unusual films or if you just want to see the only car chasing sequence ever playing to shoegaze.

The Grandmaster (2013)

Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster (2013)

[7/10 · 31 May 2013]

The Grandmaster chronicles the life of Ip Man Wing Chun (played by Tony Leung), in Foshan in the 1930s and his flight to Hong Kong after the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Ip Man's peaceful life is threatened by Gong Yutian (Wang Qingxiang), a retiring martial arts master from the north, is doing anything but encouraging the friendship with the south. Meanwhile his newly appointed heir Ma San (Zhang Jin) turns out to be up to no good and kills this master. His daughter, the beautiful Gong Er (Zhang Ziyi), is determined to avenge his father's death, but of course to do so she'll have to renounce a happy life with Ip Man.

Wong Kar-wai's tenth feature film is a return to form for the Hong Kong auteur. The Grandmaster looks stunning, courtesy of cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd's incredible vision. Wong once again plays with slow motion, distorting the image, filming through glass and creating a dynamic and immersive picture. This film is a visual spectacle. You could turn off the sound and still have a great experience, but don't do it, because Frankie Chan's score is a pleasure to listen to: engrossing, in the quiet scenes and epic, in the climactic scenes. The acting is definitely high-caliber, like you would expect from a Wong Kar-wai film, and Zhang Ziyi is just dazzling.

Personally, I don't have much knowledge or interest in the martial arts subgenre, which is why I was amazed by how much I enjoyed this film. I am a big Wong Kar-wai fan though and he manages once more to subvert genre expectations. From the gorgeous opening titles and the grandiose opening scene I was on board with this film. I usually get lost with the plot in films like these, but fortunately as with most of Wong's films the story is not the most important thing. His writing is top-tier and surprisingly focused. I thought the fights looked badass and well choreographed. The use of different film stock adds to the historical angle and looks really cool. Knowing Wong's films I was expecting more in terms of the romantic storyline, but reflecting on it now, I understand that he was going for a less is more approach in this one.

All in all, a very good film that can be appreciated by kung fu genre aficionados as something different and refreshing; Wong Kar-wai fans of course, for his distinctive style and people who are just looking for something to feast their eyes on.

American Masters: Woody Allen: A Documentary (2011) Season 25, Episode 7

Woody Allen: A Documentary (2012)

[8/10 · 31 May 2013]

Woody Allen is one of the most prolific and important filmmakers working today. His movies mostly revolve around the grand subjects of Life, Love and Art. Even when he puts out a sub par film, he is still interesting to watch: "There's always something about them", like Martin Scorsese himself puts it.

The documentary opens with Woody Allen's trademark title names; written in the iconic Windsor font, with playful jazz music in the background accompanying images of Brooklyn shot à la Midnight in Paris. Next up are a series of interviews, alternated to scenes from Woody's films. The filmmakers managed to interview Woody's mother, his sister and manager and of course Woody himself, while also showing us opinions from actresses and actors that starred in his movies, mainly Diane Keaton (his first muse). His long time collaborators and producers also voice their opinion, mostly praise, and there's even a priest.

The documentary does a good job, in that it is about Woody as a person and as an artist. He also has most of the screen time and rightfully so. The first half of the film is Woody's origin story, from writing jokes for the news paper and doing stand-up, to him constantly being on national television, getting a writing gig, over which he had no artistic control and then finally getting a chance to write and direct his first feature film on his own terms. The second half of the documentary focuses on his hits and misfires throughout his career, while ending on the upbeat note of his 2011 box office hit.

Being a huge fan of his I couldn't help but love this documentary. It's fully of little trivia and tidbits you might not know about even if you're a loyal follower of his. I certainly learned a lot of new things about him. I didn't know much about his private life, I had only read a very confusing and mostly false expose on him (I believe it was in Time magazine), and so this was refreshing. It was great to hear the man himself discuss his work and learning that one of his favorite films (from his own catalogue) is Stardust Memories, inspired by Federico Fellini's masterpiece 8½, or how he really still uses a typewriter to write all of his scripts and many other fun little quirks. While it is interesting that they had a priest, he doesn't really get into any religious talk, which seems like a wasted opportunity, since most of Woody Allen's films ask big questions like "Is there a God?" and "Is there an afterlife?". The documentary is also very standard in its execution, which is not a fault per se, but it would be great to see a new vision for a change, especially in the visual department. All in all though the film succeeds in that it makes you want to re-visit Woody Allen's classics like Annie Hall, Manhattan and Husbands and Wives.

I would recommend this documentary especially if you're a Woody Allen fan, if you're not there's still the great story of a self-made man being told. At the end of the day it's about his life and his art. In his own words: "Issues of what life is about and why we're here and why it's so painful and relationships between the human being and his experience and human loneliness, that never gets resolved, and so it's of constant interest to me".

Furious 6 (2013)

Justin Lin's Fast & Furious 6 (2013)

[7/10 · 31 May 2013]

Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his friends are chillin' all over the globe, enjoying la dolce vita, after their successful heist in Fast Five (2011). However they're also longing to return home to America. Agent Hobbs (The Rock) offers them the opportunity to do just that: A clean slate in exchange for one last job. The mission includes taking down a villainous character (Luke Evans) in London, finding Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and driving fast cars, while doing crazy stunts, shooting and beating people up and stuff.

Justin Lin's fourth entry in the franchise is mostly successful, thanks to an amiable cast, a cheesy, but sweet writing and some breathtaking action set pieces. The characters mostly derive from the actor's screen persona, which is not a bad thing per se, but some of the acting is stale and the screenplay doesn't really allow for much room for them to breathe and develop in a satisfying way. The action is very intense and interestingly shot in some instances, though you can sustain tension only so long, and so the last act results a bit too long. The film in general could use some leaner editing. Some scenes are basically useless, like Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) going to prison. Gina Carano's wrestling skills are impressive, but her character's twist at the end is completely pointless.

Personally, I am biased to like this film, for purely nostalgic reasons: I grew up with this franchise. The film had me from the very beginning with the great opening title montage. In my estimation this is one of the few interesting franchises out there today. Borrowing too much from last year's box office hits The Avengers (exploiting the team of "superheroes" aspect, featuring a "similar" villain and also copying structural elements) and The Dark Knight franchise (the villain seems to be driving something out of a Christopher Nolan film); Furious 6 could have been better by doing its own thing like in the previous installment. The villain and his motivations are dubious and weakly executed. The result is a formulaic story. To its credit Furious 6 has a good sense of humor, but also a beautiful message about the importance of family. What I disliked was how some characters were treated, namely Roman (Tyrese Gibson) being reduced to comic relief, Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) hardly given anything to do and Elena (Elsa Pataky) completely ignored up until the end. The potential conflict between Dom's new girlfriend Giselle (Gal Gadot) and Letty also remained unexplored. The film ends on an upbeat note, but I just have a hard time buying that Brian is a father now. Stay tuned for more action to come – #7 was already announced.

Verdict: Recommended. Especially if you're an action junkie, love the Fast & Furious franchise or just enjoy having Corona with your buddies and turn off your brain for 2 hours.